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The Tomie dePaola eNewsletter By Bob Hechtel, with Tomie dePaola When I got to the office around 8:00 this morning, Tomie told me that an odd thing had happened at his house last night. The outer pane of a large sliding glass door in his bedroom had shattered. Yet, Tomie hadn’t heard any strange noises last night. Granted, Tomie was enjoying a deep sleep thanks to a sleep aid recently in the news. (Maybe Tomie was actually driving around town when the incident occurred.) But, what was up with Brontë? Shouldn’t he have heard a noise and made a fuss? I’m guessing it was a deer. Tomie had spotted them by his bedroom in past years. When I taped the glass so that it wouldn’t shatter more, there appeared to be at least two whiskers at the spot where the impact with the glass probably happened… at deer nose height. Do deer have whiskers? Maybe it was a really big woodchuck determined to avenge. (Keep reading.) Earlier in the week, I discovered a woodchuck in one of the Havahart traps I had placed several days earlier. I drove Chuck to a location eight miles away and released him/her where I’ve released the dozens of woodchucks I’ve trapped during summers past. I hope Chuck was greeted with open “arms” by all of the woodchucks who once called Tomie’s yard home. Is this the beginning of a WILD spring and summer? On Monday we went to the Vermont Kindergarten Conference in Vermont’s state capital of Montpelier. Tomie spoke at two sessions. During the smaller group workshop, Tomie mentioned that second grade teacher friends had told him that they were being pressured by third grade teachers to “teach to the test” that the second grade students would eventually take in third grade. The preschool teachers in the workshop said they were also feeling the pressure to “teach to the test.” We were horrified. But, we’re delighted that “Strega Nona” will be performed this summer by the Weston Playhouse Theatre Company’s Young Company in Weston, Vermont. This production was originally created by the Children’s Theatre Company of Minneapolis as a big stage production. Tomie helped with the original production. CTC adapted it so it could travel and the Weston Playhouse is performing their version of the traveling production. Tomie worked as a scenic artist and performed at the Weston Playhouse in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s. Some of his roles were: Barnaby Tucker in the Matchmaker, Bobby Van Heusen in the Boyfriend and Maxime in Hotel Paradiso. This reconnecting with the Playhouse in Weston is a very positive development. The Playhouse’s website indicates that the performances of “Tomie dePaola’s Strega Nona” begin on June 14 or June 15 and run until July 2. (I’m going to have to clarify the day of the first performance.) Tomie will be at the Playhouse for the official Opening Night on Friday, June 16. Michelle of Center School asked, “Is Cookie a boy or a girl? Is Cookie a kitten or a cat? Do Cookie and Kahlo look alike?” Michelle had read COOKIE’S WEEK, by Cindy Ward, and illustrated by Tomie. The story was written by Cindy Ward about her cat, Oreo. Tomie didn’t know if Oreo was a boy or a girl so, he drew Cookie in a way that he could be a boy or she could be a girl. Cookie is a kitten and doesn’t look like Kahlo. (COOKIE’S WEEK was illustrated many years before Kahlo was born.) Alexa and Alexia of Plympton School asked, “How old is Strega Nona?” Tomie answered, “She won’t tell.” Until next time, best wishes, http://www.tomie.com UPCOMING EVENTS OF INTEREST Saturday, May 6, 2006 Friday, July 28, 2006 Saturday, July 29, 2006 |
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